


Corsets and suits of armour

by solrosan



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arthurian, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Class Differences, F/F, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 20:30:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19280623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solrosan/pseuds/solrosan
Summary: King Arthur sends four of his knights to bring home his niece, Princess Tilde, but when they notice that they are being followed Roxanne du Lac and Princess Tilde leave the main party to travel a different route in hopes of evading them.





	Corsets and suits of armour

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thenerdyindividual](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenerdyindividual/gifts).



> I was lucky enough to get my first pick for the Kingsman Reverse Bang, the lovely Roxy/Tilde piece by thenerdyindividual. I hope you will enjoy it!
> 
> Thank you to Insanereddragon for support and beta work!

 

 

* * *

Roxanne du Lac walked into the great hall of the Maleagant, the King of Gorre’s castle. She held her helmet under her arm and it took a lot of self-control to not grip her sword with her other hand as she approached the throne and Maleagant himself. Her steps echoed between the stone walls, her long braid swaying from side to side behind her back. They had only allowed one of King Arthur’s knights to enter the castle and Roxy felt alone and exposed, but she held her head high.

She stopped just beneath the throne and bowed her head. When she straightened up, she glanced at Princess Tilde, King Arthur’s niece, Maleagant’s ward and the reason she was here. There was a painting of Princess Tilde hanging in one of the halls of Camelot, a five year old girl with blond hair, dressed in royal red and holding a small bird on her finger. It had been painted the same year she had been given as a ward to Maleagant so Roxy shouldn’t be surprised that she didn’t recognise the woman standing next to the throne in a light blue dress, but she was.

“du Lac,” said Maleagant, a hint of contempt in his voice as he looked Roxy over from head-to-toe and pulling all of her focus back to him.

“Your Majesty.”

“I was surprised to hear Arthur sent a du Lac to bring home his niece, but now I see why he dared. Has Britannia run out of men?”

“Not that I’m aware, Your Majesty.”

Maleagant narrowed his eyes, stretching out the silence, but finally waved his hand at Princess Tilde as if he was waving off an annoying bug.

“Take her, then. If her uncle doesn’t care more than this, why should I?”

He very demonstratively got up and walked out of the throne room, giving Princess Tilde one last, almost sad look. Roxy waited until she heard the door slam shut before she turned to the princess who also seemed to have been waiting for Meleagant to leave before moving. Their eyes met and the princess smiled and Roxy couldn’t help to do the same.

”Your Highness,” said Roxy, bowing a little deeper than she had for the king. ”Your uncle, my master, the Great King Arthur, has sent me to bring you back home.”

”Sir knight,” Princess Tilde said, obviously amused addressing Roxy this way, but bowed her head slightly in greeting before lifting up her skirts and walking down to, and past, Roxy. Roxy fell into step behind her and they walked out together.

In the courtyard, Roxy’s squire Eggsy waited by the coach which seemed to have been loaded with the princess’ belongings. When he saw them approaching, he straightened up a little and opened the door to the coach.

”Is this the entire company?” Princess Tilde asked Roxy quietly.

”The entire company that was allowed inside the castle’s walls,” said Roxy. ”Don’t worry, your uncle really does want you to come home in one piece. He sent four of us, plus Eggsy here.”

Princess Tilde smiled at that. Roxy offered her hand and the princess took it, gathering her skirts with the other, and got into the coach. Eggsy closed the door carefully behind her.

“We’re all set with her things?” asked Roxy, eyeing the trunks strapped to the back of the coach.

“Think so,” said Eggsy. “Couldn’t very well do an inventory, but they’re heavy enough.”

Roxy nodded. They didn’t have any clear instructions on what to do with the princess scarce belongings, so this was probably the best they could do under the circumstances. She wasn’t very keen on staying inside these walls longer than necessary.

Eggsy brought round her horse, a patient mare called Mojo. He cupped his hands to help Roxy up in the saddle. She took a deep breath, put her foot in Eggsy’s hands, gripped the saddle and heaved herself up. Then he jumped up on the seat of the coach with ease and grace. Roxy envied him a little. It had been a blow to her pride having been helped into the saddle the first few times she’d donned her full suit of armour, but she had learned to swallow that because it had nothing to do with her being a woman, but everything to do with the armour stopping her from reaching the chaplet herself. At least the knights at the round table all favoured the armour that was light enough for them not having to be lifted up on their horses.

She motioned the horse closer to the coach and leaned down to be able to talk through the window.

”Everything all right?” she asked. ”Ready to leave?”

”Been ready for years,” said Princess Tilde with a grin. Roxy smiled as well, straightening up.

”All set?” Eggsy asked.

”All set.”

Eggsy clicked his tongue at the horses and they were on their way. They passed over the drawbridge and met up with Tristan, Gawain and Percival, all of them already mounted on their horses.

They fell into formation, with Roxy and Gawain riding on each side of the coach, Percival up front by the horses and Tristan at the back, and started on the almost week long journey back to Britain and Camelot.

It was a nice day to travel, slightly overcast but still warm. They didn’t get very far the first day, having left Gorre late in the afternoon, but they had all been adamant to leave and not stay the night within sight of the castle. When they reached the clearing they had decided to set up camp, it was already growing dark.

To save the light, Gawain and Tristan put up the tent for Princess Tilde, Roxy and Percival the wind shelter for the rest of them, and Eggsy started the fire.

“So how did it go in there?” asked Percival, handing Roxy a skin with fresh water when they were done with the shelter.

”As expected, I suppose? And I didn’t even touch the hilt once.”

Percival laughed. “How was he?”

“Tall. Intimidating.” Roxy frowned, it didn’t hurt too much to admit that. “It was a good thing that we decided I’d be the one to go in. I don’t think he knew what to make of me.”

“You have that effect on people.”

Roxy took a gulp of water, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “No, I have that effect on _men_.”

“Not sure it’s just men.” Percival took the skin back and made a not-very-subtle gesture towards the fire where the princess sat with Eggsy. “It’s not me she’s been looking at this whole time.”

Roxy blinked. “What?”

“The princess,” said Percival, as if that was the part that had made Roxy stumped. “She’s been glancing over here. I don’t think she knows what to make of you either, but I’m quite sure she knows what she wants to _do_ with you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Percival winked. He left Roxy by the wind shelter and walked over to the other two knights to help them with the tent. Roxy stared after him for a while before she dared looking in the direction of the fire.

Princess Tilde and Eggsy seemed to be deep in conversation about something and Roxy was about to brush off Percival’s comments as immature teasing when the princess discreetly looked her way. Their eyes met for a brief moment and something fluttered in Roxy’s chest before Princess Tilde quickly turned to Eggsy again.

Roxy looked away too and went to join the other knights. She spent the rest of the evening trying really hard not to look in the princess’ direction at all.

* * *

They didn’t pick up speed on the second day, and the farther they got from Gorre, the worse the roads became. It wasn’t a surprise, they had travelled the same way down after all, but the extra weight of the princess and her belongings made the wheels of the coach stick in the mud. The third time the knights had to dismount to push the coach free, they’d all had enough and when they finally stopped for the night — several miles earlier than planned — no one was in a very good mood.

To make matters worse, Roxy was fairly sure they were being followed. She sat by the fire, poking it with a stick and waiting for it to be ready to cook over. Eggsy came back from having emptied his bladder and sat down next to her.

“I think we’re being followed,” he said.

Roxy nodded. “We are. They caught up with us early this morning.”

“You think they are Maleagant’s men?”

“Either that or some random bandits, but it doesn’t matter.”

“Why do you think they haven’t struck yet?”

“Don’t know,” said Roxy, shaking her head slightly, “but I don’t feel like waiting around to get a chance to ask them.”

“So what, then? I don’t think anyone is that keen on having to push the coach out of another mud puddle in the dark.”

Roxy shrugged, poking the fire with the stick again. Then she turned to look at Eggsy, frowning. “Do you think the princess can ride?”

* * *

The princess could ride, or so she said at least when they woke her shortly after midnight. On Roxy’s suggestion they had come up with a plan: she and the princess would continue on their own. The princess would take Tristan’s horse, Isolde, while Tristan continued the journey in the coach, wearing whichever of Princess Tilde’s dresses that might fit him best. The knights, Eggsy and the coach would continue on their planned route while Roxy and Princess Tilde would not. If everything worked out as they hoped, whoever followed them would follow the main party and they would all meet again at an inn outside Camelot in four days.

”Are you sure about this?” Percival asked as he helped Roxy out of her suit of armour next to the fire so that she could change into a leather armour instead.

”I can’t be trapped in this for four days with no one to be able to help me out of it,” said Roxy. ”And if this works, we won’t encounter any reason for me to have full armour anyway.”

”Ture, but I meant, are you sure you want to be the sole protector of King Arthur’s niece?”

”You mean with my family history and all?” Asked Roxy, shaking her head. ”For the sake of her virtue, I’m the best option to travel alone with her. Or do you think I won’t be able to protect her life?”

”You know I think you’re as capable as the rest of us when it comes to that, but it’s a huge responsibility and I have to ask.”

”If it works, it’ll be fine, if not…” Roxy shrugged. ”I’ll figure it out.”

”We’ll do our best to make sure they follow us.”

”Thanks,” said Roxy, stretching as the final piece of the steel armour was taken off her. There was a certain kind of freedom that came the first moments after being out of steel. It felt a little like you could fly and Roxy didn’t want to restrain her body in another type of armour just yet.

But the sooner they were back on the road, the better.

”Do you really think it’s Maleagant’s men?” She asked as she untied the straps on her padded tunic and pulled it over her head. ”Would he be so stupid to risk the peace treaty already?”

”I have no idea what that mad man could end up doing. You met him, what do you think?”

Roxy shook her head. ”No clue, but you should have seen the way he looked at her. He didn’t want to let her go.”

”Would you like to let go of one of your most valuable barging chips?”

”We’re ready,” said Eggsy, walking up to them with Princess Tilde in tow. Both Roxy and Percival turned around and bowed their heads.

The princess had changed into what could be the most impractical, yet stunning, green riding dress Roxy had ever seen. It was a full length dress in the back, but in the front, the skirt only reached her knees. The bust seemed to be a corset, but at least the arms were fitted and the boots looked practical.

”I’ve prepared your horse, Lancelot,” Eggsy said, effectively pulling Roxy’s attention to him. ”Most of your supplies will be on her, but some of it I put on the back of Isolde. Your sword is also strapped to your saddle.”

”Thank you, Eggsy.”

”Lancelot and I will be done soon, too,” said Percival. ”I just need to…”

He waved at Roxy, who was now in her undershirt and trousers, and picked up her new breast armour. ”Can you help the princess up on the horse, Eggsy?”

”Yes, sir,” Eggsy said, nodding once, and leading the princess away to the awaiting horses.

Roxy watched them go, feeling a bit embarrassed over her state of undressed. Percival stepped in front of her blocking her view.

”And when it comes to the princess’ virtue…”

Roxy held up a finger to his face. ”Not a word.”

Percival laughed, helping her strap the leather to her body, but to his credit he didn’t say another word.

When they joined the others, the princess was already on the horse. She looked tired, a bit insecure, but still determined. Eggsy showed Roxy all the supplies before she sat up on the horse, marveling in the knowledge that she could to this without any help in this armour.

”Are you ready, your highness?” she asked. Tilde nodded in reply.

”Four days then, gentlemen,” she said to her fellow knights (and Eggsy, because even though he wasn’t a knight she still counted him as a gentleman), and motioned her horse on.

It was close to pitch dark. The small sliver of the moon gave very little light, but they needed to get as far away from the company as they could under the cover of darkness. It was their best chance to avoid the following party all together.

The horses walked slowly and carefully and they rode in silence for most parts except for when Roxy checked in that everything was all right with the princess.

A few hours before daybreak they reached an inn and after Roxy had banged the front door for a while, the innkeeper came and opened. He wasn’t thrilled with them, but let them have a room anyway. Roxy paid him far more than it was worth.

She saw to the horses herself as the princess went to the room. Roxy had expected to find her sound asleep when she got there, but instead Princess Tilde sat on the bed, still fully dressed, waiting for her.

Roxy made sure she had locked the door and gave the princess a weary smile.

“You should sleep, Your Highness,” she said. “We need to be on the road again in a couple of hours. I know this might not be to your standard, but I assure you—”

“There’s only one bed.”

“How many do you need?”

Princess Tilde raised her eyebrows.

It took a moment before Roxy figured out what she meant.

“I’m not sleeping, Your Highness,” she said. ”I’m going to stand guard.”

“You had the second watch tonight, you and Percival” said Princess Tilde. “Which means you’ve been up for more than a day, most of it on a horse.”

“Your Highness—”

“What good are you if you fall asleep in the saddle?”

Roxy smiled. After a moment she said, “Fine. I’ll sleep.”

“Good.” Tilde took the pillow and blanket from the bed and handed them to Roxy. “No argument. Do you need help getting out of your armour?”

Roxy took the bedding, once again blushing at the suggestion. “No, Your Highness, I’m fine.”

“So you won’t be uncomfortable?”

“I will, but probably no more than you and I’m not going to help you out of the corset.”

Princess Tilde didn’t seem all that pleased with the answer, but accepted it with a nod. Then she laid down on the bed — she too still wearing all her clothes. She turned on her side, using one of her arms as a substitute for the pillow.

“Promise to sleep,” she said, trying to stifle a yawn.

“Promise,” said Roxy, already throwing down the pillow on the floor, wondering if it would be best to lay on the blanket or to pull it over her. She decided on putting it down on the floor, and soon both of them were asleep.

* * *

They left the inn later than Roxy would have preferred, but seeing how well she had slept on the hard floor she recognised that Princess Tilde had been right about her needing sleep. Now she felt stiff as the boards she had slept on, but she didn’t seem quite as uncomfortable as the princess.

“You all right?” she asked, watching princess Tilde move to find a comfortable position in the saddle.

“I’ll be fine,” said Princess Tilde with a weak smile. “Just need to build some stamina.”

“Let me know if you need a rest, takes some time to get used to this.”

“If the alternative is going back to Gorre then I’ll get used to anything.”

Princess Tilde smiled, but there was still a hint of something in her voice that made it clear to Roxy that this wasn’t the joke she tried to play it off as. So Roxy smiled back, nodding once and squeezed her horse on. With not so graceful movements, Princess Tilde got her horse to follow.

Even though Roxy could see that it hurt the princess, she made sure they started in a light trot. They were ahead of where they would have been, had they followed the first plan, but the roads were different than the ones planned, so she didn’t know the route as well and it was hard to say how long their decoy would work. The farther along they got before their followers caught up with Percival and the rest the better, but they travelled in short stretches, altering between trot and walk depending on what Roxy’s nerves and Princess Tilde’s backside could take.

“The other knights called you Lancelot, but that’s obviously not your name,” Princess Tilde said when they had once again slowed down to a walk and Roxy handed her a skin of water.

Roxy smiled. “No, Your Highness, it’s Roxanne du Lac.”

“Sir Roxanne du Lac,” said princess Tilde, and she couldn’t help frowning at the sound of it.

Roxy laughed. “It’s not a name you can put ‘Sir’ in front of, I know. It’s Sir Lancelot du Lac, or just Roxy, if you so prefer, Your Highness.”

”I think I do prefer that, but why do they call you Lancelot to begin with?”

“Lancelot is my older brother.”

“And why do they call you by your brother’s name?”

Roxy couldn’t help that her smile disappeared and a deep frown took its place. “I have his place at your uncle’s table. My brother was one of his knights once, just as I am now.”

“But why do they call you Lancelot?”

“Have you ever heard of a female knight?”

”Isn’t a knight a knight?” Princess Tilde asked, handing back the skin of water. ”I’ve never heard anyone specify a male knight.”

Roxy took the skin. She had to admit she’d never thought about it that way.

”If it’s all the same to you,” Princess Tilde continued, ”I’d like to call you by your own name, and for as long as we’re on the road, it might be better for you to call me by mine.”

”Your highness?”

”Roxy and Tilde will raise far less suspicion than Sir Lancelot du Lac and Princess Tilde, wouldn’t you say?”

Roxy smiled and nodded. The princess had a point, even though neither of them looked like those grand titles right now after having slept one night in their clothes. She fastened the skin to the side of her saddle and, unsure on how to continue the conversation, suggested that they trot again for the next mile or so.

By the early afternoon, Princess Tilde — or Tilde — gave up. Both her backside and her back protested, even her hands showed signs of abrasion when Roxy helped her off the horse near a lake just off the road.

”How do you feel?” Roxy asked, when Tilde stood firmly on the ground.

Tilde made a face. ”Trampled and beaten, but I’ll be fine.”

”You sure?”

”I’ll be fine,” said Tilde again. ”Not like we can stay here for the night either way, can we?”

Roxy looked around, frowning. ”We could probably—”

”Just give me a few hours.”

”And some food?”

”Yeah, that wouldn’t hurt either.”

They both smiled. Roxy loosened the skin of water and gave it to Tilde.

”I’ll take care of the horses and start a fire. You can sit—” Tilde made a face ”—or stand, if you prefer.”

”Very much, but I can take the horses.”

“You sure?”

Tilde nodded. “As long as I don’t have to sit on them for a while.”

She took both horses by the reins and started to lead them to the lake. Roxy watched them for a moment before tearing herself away and starting to gather sticks and branches for a fire. As she did, she gave herself a pretty stern talking to for having pushed them to travel this far on nothing but water and dried meat.

A princess was a princess, no matter if she allowed Roxy to call her by her first name or not. Not to mention that Roxy felt a bit low on energy herself.

When the fire was done, Roxy walked down to the lake to get the supply they had taken with them when leaving the others. The horses, who seemed to have had enough water, had moved on to roam nearby, eating grass. Roxy frowned, it was all well and good that the horses got a rest as well, but it wouldn’t have hurt to tie them up. If something were to spook them, or…or...

...or…

Her thoughts trailed off without knowing where they had been heading. She had been looking around for Tilde, only to find her getting into the lake. Part of Roxy was ready to scold her — for the horses as well as for making herself vulnerable like this — but all she could do was stare. Stare and stare. At her neck, at her back, at her hips, at her arse as her body slowly submerged in the cold water.

She squeezed her eyes shut, her heart pounding hard in her chest, and she turned quickly to get the horses.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she muttered to her horse as she started to lead both of them back to the fire. “It’s enough that I get it from Percival.”

Her mare didn’t seem at all concerned about what she was talking about.

Tilde was dressed in her riding trousers and under blouse when she came walking up to where Roxy had started the fire, carrying her dress, corset and boots in her arms. She unceremoniously dropped it all on the grass. Her blouse was sticking to her skin where she hadn’t been able to dry herself off properly and through the thin fabric Roxy could make out her nipples.

Someone clearly hated her.

“Do you need help getting dressed?” she asked keeping her focus on Tilde’s face and the blond hair she’d forced into a messy knot to not make it wet while in the lake.

“Not before we absolutely have to,” said Tilde. “You should go for a swim after we’ve eaten. It’s really nice getting some of the road off your skin.”

Roxy smiled. “I’ll bathe when you’re safe within your uncle’s castle.”

“You sure?”

Roxy nodded and handed Tilde her Spartan meal — bread and salted fish. Tilde stood up the entire time they ate, which Roxy found endearing, and they forced small talk about the weather and the horses and the road ahead. It was hard to keep it going (only partly because Roxy didn’t know where to look) and before they had even finished the dinner, the conversation dried up.

”How was it, being Maleagant’s ward?” Roxy asked when the silence had stretched for too long. Tilde gave her a long look before putting down her plate and walking away. Roxy cursed her foolishness, but didn’t follow until she had finished her own meal.

She found Tilde back at the lake, still standing. Roxy walked up so that she stood two steps behind her.

”Your Highness—”

”Tilde.”

Roxy smiled, unsure. ”Tilde. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up anything—”

“It was fine,” Tilde interrupted her again, still looking straight ahead. “He was never cruel to me, his court was kind. It was— it was fine.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?”

“Is it? I know what you expect me to say, I know he was terrible, and I know what he did, what he… does.” She shook her head. “He never even raised his voice to me.”

Roxy hesitated. Then she took one step closer and reached out to put her hand on Tilde’s shoulder.

“You’re allowed to miss him.”

An empty laugh left Tilde. “Are you sure? I heard how you and the other knights talked about him.”

Roxy squeezed her shoulder. She wanted to apologise, to tell her that she hadn’t meant those things as it had clearly been interpreted. She wanted to tell her that she understood, probably better than most, what it meant to miss someone people didn’t expect you to miss.

”I’m sure,” she settled on. “It was your home and I’m glad your childhood was a good one.”

Tilde put her hand on top of Roxy’s, sighing. Roxy didn’t know what to do next, but decided that it was best to remain still. A short while later, Tilde took a deep breath through her nose and turned around.

“Let’s get me back into the dress so that we can get going.”

Roxy nodded. “Yes, ma’am. You… might have to give me some directions, I haven’t worn anything like it in years.”

Tilde raised her eyebrows. “You think your squire has?”

“I, um… no. I just thought he… Eggsy is good at dressing people.”

“Knights, perhaps. The corset made him very confused. And flustered.”

Roxy laughed. She should have known, going by conversations about guests in their respective bedrooms, that Eggsy had probably never been close to a corset. Or who knew what Galahad did in his spare time?

“You’re a knight, not my maid,” said Tilde, “I don’t have much expectations. I just need an extra set of hands to hand me things.”

“That I can do.”

They were back on the horses not even thirty minutes later. Roxy was impressed by the ease with which Tilde managed to get the corset on and find her way out of all the fabric. Roxy had clear memories of what a dragged out, tiresome process it had been to get dressed in female clothing but realised that it probably took her twice as long to get dressed in her full suit of armour compared to the time Tilde spent putting on her dress.

“What do you think,” Tilde asked as they were about to set off, “should I keep my hair up?”

“Yes. You might burn your neck in the sun, but you will _definitely_ have your hair in your face if you let it out.”

“Only if we don’t ride fast enough.”

“How fast does your backside allow us to ride, Your highness?”

Tilde made a face. ”Good point.”

They set off. Roxy was impressed by the princess’ strong will to keep moving even though she was clearly in pain. When dusk came, Roxy herself was more than ready to call it a day, but Tilde gave her a pointed look when she suggested they’d stop at the next clearing off the road.

“If we stay outside tonight, what are the chances that you’re going to allow yourself at least two seconds of sleep?” she asked.

“My job is to protect you. I do that better if I’m awake.”

“You’ll do that better when you’re rested. There has to be an inn not that far from here, it’s been ages since we last passed one.”

Roxy tried to not sigh. It was hard to argue with Tilde’s point, but who knew how far it was to the next inn and Roxy wasn’t very keen to ride through another night. That — if anything — would make it hard to protect Tilde.

Tilde guessed right, the next inn wasn’t that far and they reached it just as the last light disappeared. A sleepy stable boy helped them with the horses and the front room was half-full of travellers, playing dice and eating supper.

“What can I do for you, lovely ladies?” said the innkeeper with a smile missing a tooth. “Where’s the rest of your company?”

“It’s just us,” said Roxy, and continued before the man had a chance to comment that the roads weren’t a place for women to travel alone at night — or whatever it was he was about to say, “Do you have a free room for my mistress?”

“Do you have any rooms for both of us?” Tilde said.

“One room’s enough. And some supper down here.”

Tilde gave her a look, which Roxy ignored but the innkeeper seemed confused, looking between them and not knowing who to obey. After a moment Tilde sighed and went to one of the long tables. Roxy felt victorious and paid the innkeeper for the room and supper.

“Did you at least ask for an extra pillow for yourself?” asked Tilde when Roxy came, carrying two glasses of wine and a pitcher.

“I did. He even promised to bring me a mattress from the next room, because he didn’t expect there to be more people coming tonight.”

“The nerve of some people!”

Roxy grinned, putting the glasses and the wine down on the table. ”Are you going to have your supper standing?”

”Preferably,” said Tilde, but with a deep breath to prepare herself she sat down. ”How can _sitting_ be this bad?”

Roxy chose not to comment and raised her wine glass. Tilde did the same and then made another face after having tasted it. Roxy couldn’t blame her, it was awful. It didn’t taste better with the supper — nor was the supper that much to celebrate, but at least it was warm.

The conversation flowed easier than it had during the day — Roxy ascribed that to the terrible wine — and they both let down their guard a little as Tilde asked questions about Camelot, the home she was returning to but had almost forgotten, and Roxy answered to the best of her abilities.

When Roxy poured them the last of the pitcher of wine, two men walked up to them. Roxy had noticed them before when they arrived, but paid them little attention. They were travellers past their prime, and definitely not whoever had been following them. Now they made the hair at the back of her neck stand as she looked up at them.

“Ladies,” the taller of them said, nodding and doing some weird excuse of a half-bow.

“Gentlemen,” said Roxy, putting down the pitcher.

“Have you lost the rest of your company?”

“No.”

“Where are they, then?”

“We _are_ the company, gentlemen.”

“It’s not safe, you know,” the shorter man chipped in, “two young, pretty things like yourselves alone on the road in the dark.”

“We’re not on the road in the dark,” said Tilde. Roxy reached out and touched her hand lightly to have her shut up, but she didn’t take her eyes off the men.

“We were in the middle of a conversation, gentlemen,” Roxy said calmly. “So if you’ll excuse us.”

“We can buy you another round of wine,” said the taller man. “Keep you company.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Don’t be like that,” the shorter man said, his eyes fixed on Tilde even as he talked to Roxy. “We only want to have a bit of fun.”

He raised his hand. Roxy had no idea if he was going to reach for Tilde or not, but it didn’t matter and in a split second she was on her feet with her hand on her sword. She didn’t draw it, hoping this would be enough to let the men know their place.

Both men blinked, looking slightly more insecure now than a moment ago. Roxy was well aware that her sudden movement had made everyone in the room stop what they were doing to look at them.

“As I said,” Roxy said, coolly, her eyes narrow as she looked between them, “we’re in the middle of a private conversation. Go back to your own table.”

The men stared at her, eyeing her sword. They both wore daggers at their belt and would clearly not be a match if it came to it, but Roxy preferred to not have to draw blood inside. It created too much unwanted attention. When they didn’t move, she slowly pulled out her sword a few inches.

It seemed to get the point across and they stumbled back a couple of steps, turning around and walking back to their table, muttering profanities that was clearly meant for Roxy to hear. She let her eyes wander over the rest of the guests, all of them suddenly busy with their own things again. Roxy put her sword back and sat down again.

“That’s why I’m sleeping on your floor,” she muttered and took her glass. Her hand trembled slightly and the short commotion had not made the wine taste better. She made a face as she put it down.

Tilde touched her hand, making her look up. Tilde didn’t smile, just nodded once. Roxy, on the other hand, pressed for a smile.

“Where were we?” she asked.

“You were telling me about your home.”

Roxy nodded and jumped back to tell Tilde about Joyous Gard, the castle next to the lake where she’d grown up. As they had their last glass of wine, the candle at the table burned down and the other guests retreated to their rooms.

It was late when they finally walked the stairs to their room. Roxy hadn’t wanted to go upstairs until after the two men who had approached them had gone up so that they wouldn’t have to walk past them.

To Tilde’s delight, the innkeeper had indeed found a mattress for Roxy that had been squeezed in between the bed and the wall. Roxy rolled her eyes, but deep down she was actually grateful. She did however bring with them a chair from downstairs to put in front of the door. Just in case.

As she arranged the chair Tilde took off her dress, muttering about it being too hot in the room. Roxy couldn’t blame her, the entire inn was warm. She took off her sword and placed it next to the pillow. Other than that and her boots, she didn’t have much to take off, and it was with a hint of envy she watched Tilde shed the layers of fabric.

“Can you… Please?” said Tilde with a sigh when she couldn’t manage to open the busk. “Too much wine, or… I don’t know. I know you said you wouldn’t take it off yesterday, but...”

Roxy got up from the chair where she’d been sitting, pulling off her boots. It felt like a incredibly stupid idea to help Tilde undress, but at least she knew she would be able to get dressed pretty fast if needed.

“Um, deep breath in?” she said, putting her hands at the top of the corset — on the princess’ breasts! — and unhooking the first few hooks when she did. The others came easier and soon Tilde let go of the breath she’d been holding. Her shoulders dropped and it looked a stone lighter.

“Thank you,” she said, as Roxy let the corset fall down on the bed behind them.

“You’re welcome.”

Tilde didn’t move. She stood there, so close — too close — in the small, warm space, looking at Roxy. Roxy could feel her cheeks grow red and it wasn’t just from the heat.

“You should go to bed,” she mumbled.

“So should you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Tilde turned around, she moved her dress and corset to the end of the bed and got in. Roxy got down on the mattress on the floor, putting one hand under her head and looked up at the ceiling.

“It’s easier to sleep if you close your eyes,” said Tilde, hanging over the side of the bed to look at her.

Roxy smiled. “I could say the same.”

Tilde giggled, but turned around. Her bed squeaked as she tried to find a comfortable position, but she finally stilled. When Roxy heard her breathing evening out, she closed her eyes too. One hand on the hilt of her sword.

* * *

“Did you sleep well?” asked Tilde as she was buttoning up the dress — it really had seen better days by now — over the corset the next morning.

Roxy, having just pulled on her boots, smiled. “Yes. Happy?”

The night had passed quietly, not that Roxy really expected anything else. The men from last night hadn’t seemed like the kind to follow up, but it was always hard to tell for sure who would cause real trouble and who wouldn’t. It was only a half-truth that she’d slept well, though. Most of the night she had been awake, listening for sounds around them.

After a light breakfast, they were on their way. The weather was worse than the previous days, with a strong wind from the south. At around noon, when they were getting back on the horses after a quick meal at a roadside pub, the weather had changed even more. Roxy looked at the dark clouds on the horizon with a deep frown. She didn’t like the look of that at all. Not only was it terrible to ride in the rain, but it would most likely set Percival and the others back since the coach was impossible when the road was bad. There wasn’t much she could do about any of that.

“Let’s try to outrun the rain, shall we?” she said as she motioned her horse on. Tilde didn’t reply, but followed in a trot.

It didn’t work. Mostly because they were traveling towards the rain rather than away from it. Roxy had known this, but she still sighed deeply when she felt the first drops on her face.

“We need to find somewhere to wait it out,” Roxy said when they had been going for about twenty minutes with no sign of the sky clearing ahead.

It took almost another hour before they passed a place where they could find shelter. It was an empty barn that had probably been used for storing hay and other supplies when this road had been the main road to Gorre. Roxy didn’t care, they were both soaking wet at this point and so just getting under a roof was heaven. The fact that it was large enough to fit the horses was a bonus.

Roxy helped Tilde off her horse before searching the place, but it seemed like they were the only ones who had decided to seek shelter here today. Tilde stood in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest and her shoulders at her ears, looking out at the rain when Roxy came back around.

“Are you cold?” she asked.

Tilde shook her head. “Not yet, but I’m going to be. You?”

“I’ll survive.”

Tilde looked her up and down. “Good thing you changed to the leather armour, at least.”

Roxy laughed. “I’ve thought the same thing every time you’ve forced me to lay on the floor.”

Tilde smiled, looking back out in the rain. Her smile faded slowly and she walked away from the opening. Roxy remained there for a while longer.

“I’ve found dry wood!” Tilde called, forcing Roxy to stop watching the rain and go back inside. A fire was probably a good idea.

It was hard getting the fire started, because the wood turned out to not be that dry after all. After a lot of cursing, Roxy finally got it going. Tilde had made herself busy in the meantime, hanging up most of what they had brought with them to dry and found their food.

“Setting up camp?” asked Roxy when she was what Tilde had done.

“I don’t see it stopping any time soon.” Tilde sat down close to the fire and held out her hands to it. “This way it has a chance to dry at least.”

“Are you cold?”

“A little.”

“You should get out of your wet clothes.”

Tilde gave her a look, raising her eyebrows. “And if someone comes?”

Roxy frowned, then she nodded. A cold was worth the risk of not encounter strangers half-dressed. It wasn’t as if Roxy had planned to get out of her clothes just because she was wet so of course she shouldn’t expect Tilde to. They had a fire, they were out of the rain, and the nights didn’t grow that cold at this time of the year.

“I have a proposal,” said Tilde when she put away her plate after their poor excuse for supper. “I’ll take the first watch.”

“Oh, will you?”

“Only a few hours so you can get some sleep.”

Roxy narrowed her eyes, wondering how much energy she was going to put on this argument that she was probably going to lose anyway. She could lie by the fire with her eyes closed and the princess probably wouldn’t be any wiser.

“All right,” she said, getting to her feet and motioning Tilde to do the same. She took off her sword and sheath and held it out to Tilde with both hands.

Tilde took it, suddenly much more hesitant.

“I don’t know how to use a sword,” she said.

“You’re not supposed to,” said Roxy. “If something happens, you’ll wake me. If you feel like you’re falling asleep, you’ll wake me. If you’re scared or bored or anything, you’ll wake me.”

“So why this?”

“The person who’s awake should have the sword.”

Tilde nodded, looking closely at what she held in her hands. “Can I pull it out?”

“Go ahead.”

Tilde gripped the hilt of the sword with one hand and the sheath with the other. She pulled them in opposite directions and the sharp metal slowly came out. Roxy watched it closely, reaching for the sheath when the entire sword was free.

Tilde’s eyes wandered along the blade, her arm trembling under the weight. She barely noticed Roxy taking the sheath and instead moved to hold the sword with both hands.

“It’s heavier than it looks,” said Roxy, a small, possessive feeling fluttering in her chest.

“It’s beautiful.”

Roxy nodded. “It is.”

“Is this your brother’s too?”

“No… It’s mine.”

Tilde tore her eyes from the blade and met Roxy’s, her smile growing. It was contagious and Roxy smiled too. It was a strange sight, seeing a princess holding a sword in a barn.

“Do you want me to teach you how to at least hold it and stand with it properly?” she asked.

Tilde, once again looking at the blade, nodded.

Roxy walked over to her in a wide circle, not fully trusting her to not accidentally swipe her with it. She came up behind her, moving the skirt away with her foot to not step on it.

“Are you right handed or left handed?”

“Right.”

“Then you should switch, your dominant hand should be closest to the hilt.” Roxy reached around Tilde to support the sword as she moved the hands. “There you are, that would give you more control if you were to use it one-handed for some reason. Tristan does that a lot to show off and it’s the only way I can get a hit in.”

When she was sure Tilde held the sword again, she put her hands on Tilde’s arms, gently pushing them closer to her sides. She let her hands linger at her elbows.

“Keeping your arms close to your body will make you more stable, but it also makes you smaller. Being small is one of our few advantages when it comes to this type of fighting.”

“We?”

Tilde almost knocked their heads together as she turned her head as Roxy had been looking over her shoulder. The surprise at Tilde’s sudden moment made Roxy’s entire body tense up and she exhaled slowly.

“Women,” she said quietly, involuntary looking at Tilde’s lips. “Now look at the sword, don’t go waving it around.”

Tilde turned to face forward again. Roxy took a moment to close her eyes and take another breath to slow her heart rate.

“Now… move your left foot forward. A little more. And a little wider stance.” Roxy tried to force Tilde to move her foot a little more with the help of her own. She moved her hands to Tilde’s hips and she was almost positive that Tilde’s breath hitched when she did. Gently she turned them to face forward.

“There,” she said, letting go. She walked around Tilde again, the sight was still a strange one, but it almost looked like she knew what she was doing at least. “Looks good.”

“Feels strange.”

“You’ll get used to it.”

Tilde lowered the sword. “Not sure I want to.”

“You don’t have to,” said Roxy, walking up and taking the sword by the hilt between Tilde’s hands. “If you hear you something, wake me.”

She picked up the sheath and put the sword back. Then she handed it to Tilde who once again took it with both hands on the sheath.

“Don’t wait too long to wake me,” said Roxy. “You need to sleep too.”

Tilde promised and Roxy lay down on her back next to the fire, one arm as a pillow and closed her eyes to keep up the charade. It was uncomfortable, but she’d experienced worse. She did wonder if Tilde was going to be able to get any sleep at all on the hard dirt floor, though.

After a while she heard Tilde sit down next to her, tapping her fingers on the sheath. She heard the fire crackling, the rain against the roof, the horses breathing. It was comforting. She didn’t know how it happened, but she fell asleep.

* * *

The night passed without any incidents, even if Roxy found it quite embarrassing to have fallen asleep. Tilde had woken her after a few hours, but as Roxy predicted, Tilde hadn’t managed much sleep of her own. Shortly after daybreak, they had made sure to put out the fire and packed up their things.

It had stopped raining while Roxy had been asleep and the air smelled wonderfully — something that couldn’t very well be said about either of them.

“I think we made a pretty decent stretch yesterday in spite of the rain,” said Roxy, strapping the last of their equipment to the back of her mare. “There might be a chance that we’ll get to the inn where we’re meeting the others before night fall, though they probably won’t be there until tomorrow.”

She cupped her hands to help Tilde up on the horse. Tilde put one foot in Roxy’s hands, took a firm grip on the saddle, but then she just… stood there. Before Roxy got a chance to ask, Tilde let go of the saddle and put down her foot.

And then Tilde kissed her. Roxy blanked. It was over before Roxy managed to react.

“Sorry,” said Tilde quietly when she pulled back. “I just… If we reach the inn tonight, it was my last chance, and I’d hate myself forever if I hadn’t— I’m sorry.”

“It’s— I— It’s alright, Your Highness,” said Roxy, blinking far more frequent than necessary in hopes it would restart her senses.

“Tilde. We’re still on the road.”

Roxy shook her head. “I think it’s better if— Yes. Hm.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright, Your Highness. I promise. It’s fine. Let’s...” Roxy waved at the horses. She was about to help Tilde get up again, but Tilde swung herself up on the saddle. Without another word, Roxy followed suit.

They travelled in silence for the rest of the journey, only breaking it for short periods to talk about the road ahead or whether or not to stop by the road to relieve themselves or have something to eat. Roxy did her best to not even look at the princess, but her eyes kept shifting to her either way. She tried to tell herself that it was because her job was, after all, to protect her but there are some things there’s no use trying to lie to yourself about.

Due to their breaks being shorter, rather than their speed being higher, they reached the inn in the mid-afternoon. Roxy’s heart sank when she saw that the coach wasn’t waiting there for them. She’d had a vain hope that the rest of the party would already be here so that she wouldn’t have to be alone with the princess anymore.

Tilde gladly accepted the help getting down off the horse and she offered to go in and see if they could get a room and food while Roxy saw to the horses. Roxy stayed in the stables a little longer than she had to, thinking that _maybe_ Percival and the others would be there when she was done.

Obviously they weren’t there, but when she stepped into the inn, neither was the princess. Roxy frowned.

“Your mistress has gone to her room, miss,” said the innkeeper with a kind smile. “I’ll bring you both your meals when the Missus is done with them. The maid is drawing up a bath for you out back and I were to let you know that you had no choice in the matter.”

Roxy couldn’t help smiling and followed the innkeeper out the back where the maid had indeed drawn up a hot bath for her. With some difficulty Roxy managed to get out of the armour — only twice wishing that Eggsy was there — but when she finally sank down in the tub she sighed with pleasure. It was probably (most definitely) bad form to leave the princess alone to take a bath, but on the other hand, orders were orders.

She rested her head on the edge of the tub, watching the sky above her, letting the warm water release tensions rather than remove the dirt. She thought about Lancelot and wondered where he was now and she thought about the princess’ soft lips. She hated that Percival had been right, but she would carry the memory of that kiss with her for the rest of her life.

A life that would probably be a very short one if something happened to the princess while she was lying here…She got on with the washing and soon enough she was putting her dirty clothes back on again. Just the trousers and undershirt, though, because as opposed to the princess, Roxy couldn’t get to all the straps herself. She hauled the armour over her shoulder and walked back inside.

“There you are!” said the innkeeper’s wife as soon as Roxy stepped inside. “I’ve brought a tray to your mistress and I put yours down outside your room, luv.”

Roxy blinked. “My room?”

“It’s right next to your mistress’ room, don’t worry, luv. We didn’t have one with two beds and your mistress insisted you’d get your own bed.”

Roxy sighed and shook her head.

“Don’t be too cross with her, she means well,” said the innkeeper’s wife and patted Roxy on the shoulder.

“Suppose so,” was all Roxy could say before she started climbing the stairs. She found a tray with a steaming stew and a glass of wine outside the fourth door. The door next to it was firmly closed and she supposed it was Tilde’s. Well, she could guard her from the hall, it didn’t matter. Roxy moved the tray to the side with her foot to be able to get into the room with her armour and dropped it all on the floor.

She ate in her room, sitting on the bed. It was one of the most delicious meals she had ever eaten (and the wine was passable). The bed beneath her was soft and so, so inviting after almost a week on the horse back and she cursed the princess for tempting her with it before there was someone else there to take over watching her.

The princess had kissed her. Just like that. It had only been an instance, but Roxy could far too easily imagine how her lips felt. She sat at the edge of that soft, wonderful bed, bouncing her leg. Then, after she washed down the last of the stew with the wine, she got up and knocked on the door to the next room.

“Who is it?”

“Lancelot du Lac.”

“Who?”

“Roxanne, Your Highness.”

Tilde opened the door with a shy smile. “Are you mad at me?”

“I’ve been told you mean well.”

Tilde stepped aside and Roxy stepped in. The room was identical to Roxy’s, perhaps a tad bit cleaner. Tilde had got out of her dress, but not the corset, she sat down on the bed while Roxy leaned against the wall, her arms crossed.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

“One more week and I’ll probably be alright,” said Tilde, sighing. “Too bad we’re only half a day away now.”

“And you’ll be traveling the last miles in the coach,” said Roxy. She chewed on her lip, deciding that it was better to just do this. To clear the air if nothing else. “About the kiss—”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know, you said. It’s just. You don’t have to be. Or you don’t have to apologise to me.”

Tilde frowned.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you since… since...” Roxy sighed. “My job is to protect you and bring you to your uncle, and it really wouldn’t be right of me to—”

“Why not?”

Roxy let out a small huff of laughter. “Besides the obvious reasons, the last time your uncle sent a du Lac to bring home someone he loved they eloped together and almost brought the kingdom down with them.”

Tilde blinked. “Your… brother… is the one who ran away with my aunt?”

Roxy nodded. “Your uncle let me have a chance at a place at the Table as a favour to our stepmum, otherwise I don’t think—”

“So they call you by your brother’s name to erase what he did.”

It clearly wasn’t a question, but Roxy nodded again all the same.

“That’s not...” muttered Tilde. She got to her feet, stepping into Roxy’s personal space. She was so close. So very, very close. “If you have his place and his name, at least you should be allowed to make his mistakes if that’s what you want.”

“I… um...”

“Why shouldn’t you be allowed to kiss a princess just because your brother kissed the Queen?”

Roxy exhaled slowly, her heart beating hard. Time stood still, she felt Tilde’s breath against her mouth. Their lips almost touching. Almost. Just a few… Roxy kissed her. Carefully, tentatively. Her senses clearly leaving her as she parted her lips and let her tongue into Tilde’s mouth.

And Tilde let her, her hands moving up into Roxy’s still damp hair as she kissed her.

“Now I wish I had asked for a bath for myself as well,” she mumbled.

Roxy giggled quietly, her hands wandering up the sides of Tilde’s corset. “I don’t mind.”

“You should.”

To show her exactly how little she minded, Roxy kissed her jawline, her neck, her collarbone… Her skin tasted salty and smelled of sweat and dirt. It was definitely not the taste or smell of a princess. It was intoxicating.

“Breathe in,” she murmured, her hands having found their way to the top of the corset. Tilde moved her hands from Roxy’s hair and did as she was told. Roxy felt incredibly clumsy as she opened the corset, but like last time she had helped Tilde undress, Tilde sighed in relief when it was removed.

This time it was against Roxy’s lips.

“Sit,” Roxy told her. Tilde obeyed, reaching up to start unbuttoning Roxy’s undershirt as Roxy bent down to kiss her. It took Tilde forever to open the shirt that way. When she was finally done, she pushed it off Roxy’s shoulders and Roxy helped shrug it to the ground.

Roxy knelt. She had knelt in front of kings and queens before, even princes and princesses, but never like this. Never between their legs, never to remove their boots. She felt Tilde watching her work as she loosened the strings to be able to pull them off. She took her time, marveling in the attention Tilde gave her and wanting to drag it out.

“Can you take off your trousers?” Roxy asked when she had taken off both the boots.

Tilde nodded. She stood up, but before she started on the lacing of her trousers she pulled her under blouse over her head. Roxy had to sit back on her heels and just… look at her, and soon she stood completely naked in front of her.

Roxy’s head filled with images from the lake, when she’d seen Tilde walk down into the water, imagining how she would have looked getting up. All wet, with drops of water rolling down her body.

“You’re gorgeous…” she mumbled as Tilde sat down on the bed again.

Roxy stroked the outside of her thighs and Tilde got goose bumps under her touch. She let her knees fall to the side, inviting Roxy closer. Roxy spread her legs even wider, her thumb carefully stroking the chafing from the days in the saddle.

“Does it hurt?” she asked, looking up at Tilde.

“I’ll live.”

“Yes, but does it hurt?”

Tilde tore her eyes from watching Roxy’s thumb move and met her eyes. She shook her head.

Roxy smiled, leaning in and kissing the inside of her thigh. “Good…”

She pulled Tilde a little closer to the edge, a little closer to her face, and kissed her right at the tip of the labia. Tilde let go of a long breath.

Roxy started to lick her, slow at first, finding her way, learning Tilde’s cues as she went. Tilde had one hand in her hair and when she gasped, the grip tightening, Roxy knew she was on the right track. Tilde came, whimpering and biting her lip.

Roxy licked Tilde through it and when she came down, Roxy gave her one last kiss. She looked up, Tilde smiled, looking flushed and content. She was absolutely breathtaking.

Tilde bent down, kissing Roxy. ”Your turn.”

She moved backwards up on the bed, pulling Roxy with her until Roxy lay on top of her. Moments later, it was Roxy who was on her back, Tilde on her side next to her, still kissing her as a hand found its way between Roxy’s legs and into her trousers. Roxy tilted her hips upwards.

Tilde moved from her lips to her breast. She took her nipple in her mouth, sucking it, licking it. Roxy gasped.

“Damn, you’re good at this,” she panted.

Tilde took a break from sucking on her nipple to give her a sly smile. “I’ve had a lot of chambermaids.”

A laugh got stuck in Roxy’s throat when Tilde went back to her nipple at the same time as she pushed two fingers into her. Roxy rocked against her hand, trying to bear down on it.

She had to bite her knuckles to not scream when she came. Tilde kissed her when she was done, but Roxy was barely in a state to reciprocate. The soft mattress was just as inviting as the one in her room. Perhaps even a bit more so. Roxy moved to her side and pulled Tilde closer, giving her a lazy kiss.

“So you don’t fall out,” she murmured against her lips. “I don’t really recommend the floor…”

* * *

Roxy woke the next morning by someone knocking and calling her name. It took her a moment to recognise that it was Eggsy and then another to realise that he wasn’t knocking on the door to this room.

Suddenly Roxy was wide awake. She darted out of bed and pulling her undershirt off the floor. Her sudden movement woke Tilde as well who rubbed her eyes and looked very disoriented.

“They are here,” Roxy hissed and, still not wearing any trousers reached for the door. Tilde managed to grab her wrist before she opened it. They exchanged a look and in spite of herself, Roxy leaned down and gave her a kiss. Then she stumbled out half-naked in the hallway.

Eggsy stared at her, his hand raised to knock on her door again.

“Not a word,” she said. “Please?”

Eggsy took another moment to take in the situation, then he nodded.

“We just came. Tristan took the horses — think he mostly wanted to see if Isolde was in the stables — and the others are ordering breakfast. I came to see if you wanted the full suit of armour when we’re coming back to the castle.”

Roxy didn’t know what to say. She stood half-naked in the hallway outside the room of the princess she’d fucked twice last night and then a third time a few hours ago, and one of her best friends stood in front of her offering to dress her.

“I’ll come back in a bit,” said Eggsy with a smile. “I’ll tell them both of you will take your breakfast up here, yeah?”

Roxy nodded.

“Eggsy!” she called when he was half-way down the stairs and her brain started to work again. “Ask the maid to draw her a bath. She’d like to wash up before going to Camelot.”

“Yes, sir.”

Roxy stood frozen, watching him disappear. What on Earth would have happened if it had been Percival coming to wake them? Or worse, Tristan or Gawain?

* * *

The trumpets sounded when the doors opened and they walked into the Great Hall of Camelot. Princess Tilde walked in first, dressed in white dress with silver embroideries, her hair decorated last minute with white flowers. She looked like a bride and moved seemingly effortless over the floor, not needing to hold up her skirts.

Behind her walked the four knights who had brought her here, Lancelot and Percival, and behind them Tristan and Gawain, all of them in steel, with their helmets under their arms. Eggsy had done a marvellous work polishing them all up, because except for some dark marks under their eyes, it was impossible to tell that they had been on the road for as long as they had.

King Arthur rose from his throne. Princess Tilde curtsied to the ground — Roxy was probably the only one who noticed that the movement was a little stiff — and the knights knelt as if on cue.

“Welcome home, child,” said King Arthur. “You’ve been gone for too long.”

“It’s good to be home, dearest uncle,” Tilde said, her voice sounding clear and bright.

Roxy held her head bowed, her eyes focused on a discolouration in the stone floor. She knew it was probably not blood, but she imagined it to be. She heard her king come down the podium, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Tilde stand up, disappearing from Roxy’s view.

The fabric of her skirts moved across the floor, up on the podium, away from Roxy. The room cheered and the knights raised their heads again. Tilde smiled, shining like the sun. Roxy smiled as well, swallowing down everything else she might be feeling.

They had — she had — finished the task they had been given. Princess Tilde was once again where she should be.

* * *

Eggsy came up to Roxy where she sat at the end of the long table in the dining hall with an empty jug of beer in front of her. Roxy looked up with a tired smile and nodded for him to sit down with her. It was the second night of a three day celebration, filled with tournaments, dancing, food and copious amounts of alcohol. Roxy had spent most of yesterday and today in steel, with various results. She was good on the horse, but with sword and axe it was always made painfully clear that she was about half the size of her fellow knights. Her body was more bruised than her ego, though.

“Half-expected you to be in a dress,” said Eggsy as he sat down next to her, both of them with their backs to the room.

Roxy huffed. “When I’m off duty, I wear clothes I can get in and out of myself.”

She was dressed in a short blue jacket with black and silver details, with black trousers and somewhere she’d also had a hat. She didn’t care much for it, so if it was lost, then it was lost.

“Trying to put me out of a job?”

“You’ll be a knight soon enough. These old duds won’t live forever.”

“I’m a commoner.”

“And I’m a woman, what’s your point? Percival sang your praise when he told me about the trip.”

Eggsy grinned. The people following them had ambushed them in the morning after Roxy and Tilde had left. They had been common bandits and quite easily convinced that there were better things to do than try to rob three knights. According to Percival, Eggsy had fought as well as any of them.

“How was your own trip?” asked Eggsy.

“Uneventful.”

“It didn’t look uneventful.”

Roxy kept her eyes fixed on her empty jug, working very hard to ignore how Eggsy looked at her even as a blush crept over her neck and face.

“You alright?” he asked, tentatively, his voice barely loud enough to be heard over the music and laughter around them.

Roxy shook her head. “But I will be.”

Eggsy squeezed her shoulder and she forced a smile. It had been stupid and she didn’t like getting sympathy for stupidity.

“I’ve sent word asking them to open the castle,” she said. “Thought I might go up there when this is done, have been a while since I was there. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

The last bit she added, lightly buffing him with her shoulder, when she saw his poorly hidden disappointment at the thought of having to leave Camelot so soon after getting here. Her comment made him blush.

“Galahad’s promised to teach me how to use a broadsword,” he mumbled.

She buffed his shoulder again, smiling and pushing her jug to him. “Go fetch me another beer, would you?”

Eggsy smiled as well, squeezing her shoulder again as he got up to get her a refill. When he took too long to come back, she looked over her shoulder. Unsurprisingly she saw him talking to Galahad — but at least he was holding her beer. Eggsy looked at the knight as if he hung the moon.

Maybe that was it? Maybe that’s what she had let herself believe she would get when she’d finally abandoned her senses and bedded the princess?

She turned around to stop staring at them. She was happy for Eggsy, but she would neuter Galahad with her bare hands if he hurt him.

* * *

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

Roxy looked up at Tilde. It was the last day of the tournament. Roxy sat, once again dressed in steel, in the yard and waited for the first round to start. It was swords, so she didn’t have much hope on getting to the second round, but there was always a chance she’d get a few good hits in and move around enough to let the others tire themselves out.

“I’ve not sought you out,” Roxy said, “there’s a difference, Your Highness.”

“Is there?”

Roxy smiled, not sure what to say to that.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be on the gallery already?”

“I’m seeking you out.”

“Lancelot, are you— Oh, Your Highness.” Percival stopped and bowed as much as his armour allowed. “You should probably go to the gallery, we’re about to start.”

“I probably should,” said Tilde, curtsying quickly before walking away. After as few steps she turned and yelled, “And her name’s Roxanne!”

Roxy’s face was red as a tomato as she watched Tilde walk away. Percival blinked twice before starting to laugh. He reached out his hand to help Roxy on her feet.

“Have you got yourself in trouble?” he asked.

Roxy put on her helmet and closed the visor without bothering replying.

* * *

It had gone better than expected. Roxy had finished second to last today and third to last in total, but everything that wasn’t last place was good enough when it came to these stupid games. As long as she beat at least one of her fellow knights no one could question that she was there.

Like all the other evenings, she had asked for the maids to draw her a bath in her room before the banquet. She had left her weapons down in the armoury and put away her helmet, but now she walked around the room waiting for Eggsy to come and help her undress and getting a little bit frustrated by the fact that he wasn’t there yet.

“Finally,” said Roxy when she heard him opening the door. “I thought you might have gone to Gal—”

It was Tilde who stood in the door. “He did. Don’t be mad at him, I told him to.”

“You… why?”

“As a way to thank him for showing me how to take off a suit of armour.”

Roxy’s eyes grew wide.

“Would you mind if I practised on you?” Tilde asked.

Roxy shook her head. Out of habit, she lifted her left arm, because Eggsy always wanted to start there. Tilde followed her lead and started to open the straps. Piece by piece Tilde got the armour off first her left arm, then her right. She worked silently and methodically. It took forever, but Roxy realised that she suddenly wasn’t in a hurry at all.

For each strap Tilde opened, the better she got at it. After the arms she moved on to the tassets and cuisses on Roxy’s thighs and Roxy watched in awe as the princess got down on her knees to remove the schynbalds on her shins. Tilde cursed, completely focused on what she was doing, but Roxy smiled.

She had never been undressed quite like this before.

When Tilde finally removed the last piece of steel from Roxy’s legs she looked up, wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Her cheeks were flushed, but she smiled.

“If anyone says a word about how long I take to get ready ever again…” she said, getting up with the help of Roxy’s hand.

“We can always send for Eggsy,” said Roxy

“We’re almost done,” said Tilde, reaching to start taking off the breastplate. “Also, I think he might be busy undressing someone else.”

When Tilde finally got Roxy out of the breast- and backplates Roxy let go of a deep breath. She rolled her neck and shoulders, feeling half the joins in her upper body crack. She then started to untie the knots on her padded tunic, but Tilde interrupted by putting her own hands on top and taking over.

“Eggsy never does this part.”

“Not when he’s undressing you at least,” Tide said, “and it wasn’t the duties of a squire he taught me.”

Roxy smiled, lowering her hands and let Tilde work the knots. Together they then got the tunic over Roxy’s head. Tilde’s eyes wandered over the bruising on Roxy’s arms and ribs as Roxy got out of her trousers.

“Does it hurt?” she asked, gently tracing a bruise with her fingers.

“I’ll live.”

“But does it hurt?”

Roxy nodded.

Tilde, still with her hand on one of the bigger bruises, gave her a chaste kiss. The type of kiss poets and bards wrote about when they thought God was reading over their shoulder. Roxy grinned, giving her a completely different type of kiss which left them both a bit out of breath.

“You really need a bath,” Tilde murmured against her lips.

“So do you by now, I think.”

“You first.”

Tilde took Roxy by the hand, leading her backwards to the tub. Roxy held onto her hand for stability as she stepped into the bath. The warm water all but engulfed her as she sank down in it.

Tilde leaned down, kissing her again before letting go of her hand. Roxy laid back down, making herself comfortable and allowing the water to relax her muscles as she listened to Tilde bringing the soaps and ointments.

* * *

Out of all the things Roxy had got from her brother, the castle Joyous Gard was her favourite. It was located about a one-day ride from Camelot, resting on the hillside and overlooking a lake. The garden was unkempt and grew wild, most of the rooms weren’t fit to live in and all of them were drafty, but it was quiet and it was hers to do what she pleased with.

She went up there two days after the tournament and celebrations had ended. Even though she had sent word ahead that she would come, only three rooms — dining room, bed room, drawing room — and kitchen were properly opened when she arrived. She didn’t keep much staff and didn’t expect miracles, having a fire roaring and supper waiting was more than enough.

The drawbridge was down and on either side of it hung banners with the crest of Lancelot du Lac. Maybe she would have it redesigned, make it the crest of Roxanne du Lac.

“What do you think?” Roxy asked, turning to Tilde who rode next to her.

Tilde looked up at it, a smile on her face. “It could be home.”


End file.
